Let's dive into the origins of Jaguar's new sports car, the XK, shall we? The clay concept from South Africa with design headed up by Ian Callum, Jaguar's chief designer. Early stages had the car oversized and fashioned as a hardtop convertible - both ideas were snuffed, as the focus remained on making the car have the sport feel to it.

Sharing a front fascia from the XJ13 racecar, the XK has overcome criticism about it being tame and too familiar to Ford's Taurus. There is similarity in the two front-ends, but the identity is still held because of recognizable Jaguar features elsewhere.

Moving down the coupe's body lines, the rear is finished with a slant of red, finishing with oval reverse lights. From the rear, the noticeable haunch in the XK's stance compliments the overall narrow and tightness of the car. Enhanced footing is available for those choosing the 21-inch wheels to grapple the pavement.

The groundbreaking design piece on the XK is the buckle present on the front fenders. This design element is likely to be placed on upcoming vehicles in the Jaguar family. "It allows us to indulge in a little bit of luxury," says Callum.

The XK seems to have the best of both worlds from within Jaguar - it is the first model planned and designed with engineers and marketers from the advent.

Read more about the XK